Live the High Life at SixtyFive in Rockefeller Center, Offering ‘Gin & Jazz’ Throughout August

So how does this sound: You hop on an express elevator to the 65th floor of the towering 30 Rockefeller Plaza, make a right (go left and you’ll find yourself inside the legendary Rainbow Room), and step into a cocktail lounge that’s surrounded on three sides by a spacious balcony that also offers plenty of outdoor seating. You order a cocktail and some small plates and spend the evening listening to a live jazz band. Intrigued? Then head up to SixtyFive, which is thankfully still somewhat under the radar and offering its Gin & Jazz series on three Fridays in August: the 14th, the 21st, and the 28th. I had the opportunity to visit this past Friday, and would live at this place if I could.

As for the food, while it’s not exactly a restaurant, there are plenty of options for those looking for something to nosh on. There’s a full sushi bar; snacks include potato chips with white truffle and potato espuma and roasted spiced nuts; and small plates comprise spicy tuna tacos, oysters, and langoustine tartare. Larger offerings include Iberico ham croquetas; crispy triple-fried potatoes (a showstopper); fried chicken and waffles with whipped smoked onion butter; a Parmigiano-Reggiano cracker “pizza” topped with olives, tomatoes, and basil; and wagyu beef sliders with caramelized onion, braised short rib, and Cabot sharp Cheddar. There’s also a solid variety of cheese and charcuterie.